The Old Testament Trinitarian Thinking and the Qur'an: Dialoguing with Muslims

Abstract

My approach in this article is pastoral. To speak and reflect on God is the most noble and encouraging endeavor. Understanding God in the way He has made Himself known to humanity stimulates the highest activity in which humans can be involved. This enterprise sheds light on who God is and what He is doing. The better we know Him, the more we can admire and follow Him. The most honorable privilege is, indeed, to know God personally, nurture an intimate relationship with Him, and study His stunning character of love. Cultivating His presence, closeness, grace, and guidance in everyday life is the most satisfying and rewarding experience, because it fills one’s heart with inner peace and joy. Everything meaningful in spiritual life flows from fostering this practical knowledge and understanding of God. However, a discussion with Muslims about God, especially the Triune God, can be quite painful, because the strongest Islamic polemic against Christianity focuses on the doctrine of the Trinity. They have a different perception of God and like to stress that Christians believe in three gods (tri-theism). They plainly state in their publications and conversations that they do not believe in the Trinity, denying the divinity of Jesus Christ, or that Jesus is the Son of God. They consider Jesus only to be a Prophet (Qur’an 3:84; 5:46). They also refuse to believe in the crucifixion of Jesus (Qur’an 4:157), but affirm His resurrection and ascension into heaven (Qur’an 3:55; 4:158; 5:117; 19:33). In support of their stand against the Trinity, Muslims quote the Qur’ an. The heaviest quotations in this regard are the following two: (1) “Do not say ‘Three.’ Refrain; most charitable is it for you; surely Allah is only One God” (Qur’an 4:171); (2) “They do blas-